15 Best Restaurants In The Dandenong Ranges (2024)

Come for the greenery, stay for the food, here’s how to plot a culinary itinerary around the Dandenong Ranges.

The Dandenong Ranges is well-known as a playground for outdoors enthusiasts, a hop, skip and a jump away from the Yarra Valley.

But the region is home to plenty more than just a swathe of enchanting greenery.

In between the scenic lookouts, fern-draped trails and winding, tree-lined roads, you’ll find teahouses with ornamental gardens, cosy pubs with plenty of character, smart-casual Modern Australian restaurants and schmick cafes dishing up inventive fare.

Read on to uncover the best restaurants in the Dandenong Ranges.

The shortlist

Best Value: Ms Banh Mi

Best drinks list: Killik Handcrafted Rum

Best for dinner: The Independent

Best for casual eats: White Thai Ginger

1. Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen

Best for: South Indian food, interiors

This vivaciously decorated restaurant (both inside and out) is a bright beacon of hope for those who crave authentic South Indian food. Specialising in Keralan cuisine, Babaji’s is perhaps best known for its sadya: a meal composed of many small dishes, served together on a banana leaf. Typically, it’s vegetarian and reserved for special occasions.

Here, the sadya includes 12 different morsels, which vary depending on the season, but might include papadam, sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew), rasam (a tomato and tamarind broth), or payasam (a ‘rice pudding’ made with vermicelli, sago, cashews and raisins).

Babajis Kerala serves homely Indian food.

Beyond Babaji’s banana leaf feast, you’ll find standalone dosas, curries, and deep-fried street food snacks on offer too.

Address: 1/1644 Burwood Hwy Belgrave

2. Chae

Best for: Exclusivity, Korean food

Don’t even think about rocking up to this Cockatoo restaurant without a reservation. A hallowed Melbourne institution, formerly located in Brunswick, Chae operates a lottery system that can entail a months-long slog to get in. Accommodating just six diners per sitting, this intimate Korean restaurant is actually situated within chef Jung Eun Chae’s house.

It’s worth the wait, however. Showcasing foods that require time- and labour-intensive practices, which few other more commercial kitchens could justify, lucky lottery winners might sample gam-sikcho (a Korean persimmon vinegar that can take over a year to ferment and age adequately), homemade kimchi and gochujang, and a selection of house-brewed drinks, such as barley tea and makgeolli (a sparkling rice wine liquor).

Address: 33 Mountain Rd, Cockatoo

3. Paradise Valley Hotel

Best for: Relaxed meals, views

If it’s good pub grub and schmick surrounds you’re after, Paradise Valley Hotel could be the venue for you. While a pub has occupied this spot since 1882, ‘The Clemo’ (found in the small township of Clematis) is anything but old-timey inside. It reopened in late 2019 under the careful guidance of some of Melbourne’s hospo heavyweights, and has emerged into an airy, bright, modern, quasi-minimalist bar and bistro, with a leafy beer garden that offers front seat views of local icon Puffing Billy.

Since its reboot, one dish in particular has become a signature: the duck and mushroom pithivier, served with mashed potato, spinach and lentils, and composed, almost entirely, of Victorian-sourced ingredients.

Address: 249 Belgrave-Gembrook Rd, Clematis

4. Bam Bam Italian

Best for: Parents, Italian food

Parents, rejoice! This neighbourhood Italian joint not only serves an enticing array of pizza and pasta, it also boasts a gorgeous fully fenced playground and turfed play area, which is fully visible from the restaurant’s own family dining room. There’s a kid’s menu and baby change facilities to boot. And did we mention that this Avonsleigh venue is also entirely wheelchair-accessible?

Dog owners aren’t left in the dark either. Bam Bam Italian’s front outdoor dining area is available to fur babies and their humans, with dog water bowls and a nature strip in easy reach.

the dining of Bam Bam Italian — Bam Bam Italian also caters to humans with furry friends in the outdoor dining area.

Address: 445 Belgrave-Gembrook Road, Avonsleigh

5. White Ginger Thai Restaurant

Best for: Thai food, a casual dinner

Something of a local institution, White Ginger Thai Restaurant is not short of local ambassadors; they wax lyrical about the authentic flavours as much as they do the warm, attentive service.

This isn’t the spot for groundbreaking fusion food. Instead, you’ll find a comforting roll call of Thailand’s greatest hits, from green curry to tom yum soup, spring rolls, pad Thai and neua nam tok (Thai beef salad).

Address: Unit 4/1526-1528 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Olinda

6. Killik Handcrafted Rum

Best for: Cocktails, a fun night out with friends

Don’t let the name of this Belgrave establishment fool you; there’s much more to Killik than rum. Part distillery door, part smart casual eatery, cosy Killik offers a little something for any occasion.

Killik restaurant — Killik offers a little something for any occasion.

A lazy Sunday arvo for two, accompanied by a share board (cheese, cured meats and house-fermented pickles) and a gin tasting paddle* perhaps? A hot buttered rum for one next to the fireplace on a quiet winter’s eve? Or a full-on ‘feed me’ feast with friends, devouring dishes such as cauliflower and truffled pecorino beignets, cured scallop carpaccio, and housemade linguine served with pesto Trapanese? Take your pick at Killik.

*Killik is also home to gin distillery GinFinity .

Address: 64 Monbulk Rd, Belgrave

7. Lorna Cafe, Ferntree Gully

Best for: Coffee, breakfast, cake

At the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, this whitewashed minimalist cafe has a breakfast menu that strikes the perfect balance between salubrious and indulgent.

Keep hunger at bay all morning with a plate of southern fried chicken that sits atop a cheesy waffle bed, drizzled with jalapeno maple sauce and speckled with gremolata. Or fuel up with a nourishing bowl of cinnamon myrtle porridge sprinkled with spiced walnut crumb and festooned with poached pear pearls.

Lorna serves up an enticing array of towering cakes to boot, should you feel like stopping by for a tea and a slice.

Address: 1053 Burwood Hwy, Ferntree Gully

brunch meals at Lorna Cafe — Lorna Cafe’s breakfast menu is a trendsetter in the Dandenong Ranges. (Image: Lorna Cafe)

8. Maria Cafe, Upwey

Best for: Vegan, Mexican

Sister venue to Lorna Cafe, we couldn’t not give this Upwey venue a shout-out. Though the fitout and design here bears a fair resemblance to its Ferntree Gully sibling, the menus are surprisingly distinct, with Maria featuring a decidedly Mexican lean .

Beyond the standard eggs Benny and smashed avo you’ll find beef birria tacos, baked eggs with frijoles (refried beans) and chilaquiles (fried tortilla chips simmered in a brothy sauce). There’s also a solid selection of vegan items for those so inclined, such as tofu scramble and jackfruit birria tacos.

Address: 56-58 Main St, Upwey

meal at Maria Cafe — Maria Cafe is all glammed up, from chic interiors to aesthetically pleasing plates. (Image: Maria Cafe)

9. The General Food Store, Emerald

Best for: Lunch

Small in size but big on accolades, husband-and-wife team Paul and Belinda Douglas – a chef and a graphic designer, respectively – craft The General Food Store ’s monthly menu based on what’s in season.

With quirky pardon-the-pun dish names like Flame and Fortune (chilli scrambled eggs with housemade sambal), and The Juan That I Want (smashed avo with pico de gallo and a poached egg), the menu is as creative as the food.

The cafe caters for food intolerances and offers a sizable kid’s menu to boot, plus owners Paul and Belinda are committed to supporting local producers, local artists (whose work is exhibited in the cafe) and stepping lightly on the earth – check out the worm farm in the courtyard.

Belgian waffles at The General Food Store, Dandenong Ranges restaurants — Their Belgian waffles have macerated strawberries and toasted pistachios on the side. (Image: Sam Stuart)

Address: 377 Belgrave-Gembrook Rd, Emerald

10. Olinda Tea House and Restaurant

Best for: High tea, setting

While this Olinda venue is open for both lunch and dinner six days a week, it’s the Asian fusion restaurant’s high tea that has become something of a signature.

Featuring savoury and sweet morsels (think macarons, profiteroles, croquettes and pork buns) alongside a selection of internationally sourced teas, the offering is as ornately presented as Olinda Tea House and Restaurant ’s immaculately manicured gardens.

Address: 86 Olinda-Monbulk Rd, Olinda

pastries at Olinda Tea House, Dandenong Ranges restaurants — Satisfy your sweet cravings with these decadent pastries. (Image: Olinda Tea House)

11. The Pig and Whistle Tavern, Olinda

Best for: Lunch, setting

The sun-dappled deck at this English-style pub is an inviting spot to while away a summer’s afternoon post-hike, but there are several more reasons to visit.

Not only are the portions generous, but the tavern’s roast pork belly and parmies (Italian, Irish, Southern-style, or classic) in particular keep the locals coming back for more. Chase it all down with one of The Piggy’s British beers, such as Old Speckled Hen, London Pride or Hobgoblin.

Address: 1429 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Olinda

burger and fries combo, The Pig & Whistle Tavern — The Pig & Whistle Tavern is your go-to stop for a classic brunch. (Image: The Pig & Whistle Tavern)

12. Ms Banh Mi

Best for: Lunch, value

Located just on the cusp of the ranges lies this ever-reliable pork roll shop. Crusty rolls are filled with tender and juicy hunks of freshly roasted pork and crunchy crackling, and laced with slivers of carrot, chilli, cucumber and coriander.

Ms Banh Mi ’s Vietnamese iced coffee also receives top marks – it’s so moreish that you may in fact want to hook yourself up to a drip of it. Better still, you can buy both and still leave with change from a $20 note.

crusty rolls, Ms Banh Mi — Crunch-filled delight at Ms Banh Mi. (Image: Ms Banh Mi)

Address: 253 Colchester Rd, Kilsyth South

13. Le Voltaire Bistro Francais, Belgrave

Best for: Dinner, French

Le Voltaire Bistro Francais is the type of consistently good neighbourhood restaurant that everyone wishes they had just around the corner. And given the culinary pedigree of its owner, Jean-Noel Langlet, who moved to the area after 20-odd years as a waiter at Melbourne institution, France-Soir, it’s little surprise.

Offering all the Gallic classics (with a few Australian twists), his menu mightn’t win any awards for boundary-pushing, but it has won a legion of fans.

Expect moules marinière, canard à l’orange, oysters shucked in front of you and, of course, snails, alongside house-churned butter, bread made from scratch and a well-balanced wine list of new- and old-world styles.

Address: 1677 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave

14. Citrine Bistro and Bar, Olinda

Best for: Lunch, Modern Australian

One of the smartest restaurants in the Dandenong Ranges region, both in terms of its refined Modern Australian menu and impeccably styled interior, Citrine is a bit of a failsafe local go-to .

The dining room is warm and homely – its open fireplace, tables dressed in white linens, and timber bookshelves decked with books and vintage curios lending a bit of a stately home feel.

The menu is similarly inviting, showcasing seasonal ingredients in familiar ways alongside daily specials. Sample everything from handmade spinach and ricotta tortellini to calamari fritti and cider-roasted pork cheek.

Address: 543 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Olinda

Calamari, Citrine Bistro & Bar — Calamari fritti with lemon aioli makes for a great appetiser. (Image: Citrine Bistro & Bar)

15. The Independent, Gembrook

Best for: Dinner, share plates

Rustic, industrial charm is taken to the next level in this heritage-listed hardware-store-cum-restaurant that attracts diners from near and far. The Independent specialises in Argentinian cuisine, to reflect chef/owner Mauro Callegari’s heritage, and features a variety of share plates that are guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds as well as your appetite.

This Dandenong Ranges restaurant also caters well to those with dietaries, offering a slew of dishes to suit vegetarians, vegans, coeliacs, or those with intolerances to dairy, onion and garlic.

And if indecision overwhelms your party, opt for the chef’s set menu, which promises a seven-course tour de force.

Address: 79 Main St, Gembrook

Lime cured scallops, The Independent Gembrook — This lime-cured scallop dish could be your new comfort food. (Image: The Independent Gembrook)

Check out our Victoria travel guide, so you can read up on the very best the region has to offer.

Video credit: Tourism Australia

From coast to mountains, hiking in Gippsland offers a stunning array of landscapes, with trails that take you deep into the region’s heritage.

I step out onto the sand and it cries out underfoot. Kweek! I take another step and there’s another little yelp. Screet! Picking up the pace, the sounds follow me like my shadow, all the way down to the water. It’s obvious how this spot got its name – Squeaky Beach – from the rounded grains of quartz that make the distinctive sounds under pressure.

For many, Wilsons Promontory National Park is the gateway to Gippsland , and the best way to explore it is by walking its network of hiking trails, from coastal gems such as Squeaky Beach through to the bushland, among the wildlife. But it’s still just a taste of what you’ll find on foot in the region.

Venture a bit further into Gippsland and you’ll discover the lakes, the rainforest, and the alpine peaks, each changing with the season and offering summer strolls or winter walks. Just like that squeaky sand, each step along these trails has something to tell you: perhaps a story about an ancient spirit or a pioneering search for fortune.

The best coastal hikes in Gippsland

sunset at Wilsons Promontory National Park — Wilsons Promontory National Park is a sprawling wilderness with many coastal bushland trails. (Image: Mark Watson)

Wilsons Promontory National Park (or ‘The Prom’, as you’ll end up calling it) is an easy three-hour drive from Melbourne, but you might ditch the car when you arrive, with much of the park’s 50,000 hectares accessible only by foot. From the inky water of Tidal River (dyed dark purple by abundant tea trees), I like the easy walks along the coast, among lichen-laden granite boulders, to golden beaches and bays.

a couple on Mount Oberon — Panoramic views from the summit of Mount Oberon. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

The trail to the panoramic views at the summit of Mount Oberon is a bit harder, up steep timber and granite steps, but it’s a popular 6.8-kilometre return. The more remote hikes are found through the open banksia and stringybark woodland of the park’s north, or along the multi-day Southern Circuit , which ranges from about 35 to 52 kilometres, with sunrises and sunsets, kangaroos and cockatoos, and maybe even whales.

a golden sand beach at Wilsons Promontory National Park — Walk ‘The Prom’s’ golden sand beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia/Time Out Australia)

You might also see whales on the George Bass Coastal Walk , even closer to Melbourne on the western edge of Gippsland. This dramatic seven-kilometre trail along the clifftops takes in sweeping views of the wild ocean, occasionally dipping down from grassy green hills to coastal gullies and a secluded beach. It also now links into the Bass Coast Rail Trail for an extra 14 kilometres.

Over at the eastern edge of Gippsland, in Croajingolong National Park, you can wander along the lakeshores beneath koalas and around goannas (I keep my distance since one chased me here!). For those who are even more adventurous, the park is also the starting point for the 100-kilometre Wilderness Coast Walk , usually done over seven days.

the Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland — Wander along the lakeshores in Croajingolong National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The best bush hikes in Gippsland

the Baw Baw National Park — The alpine heath of Baw Baw National Park. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

Deep in the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine at Walhalla, mining guide Richard tells me how this small town in the mountains east of Melbourne boomed when prospectors found gold here in 1862. These days, you’ll find most of the town’s treasure – its heritage – above ground, with the Walhalla Tramline Walk a wonderful way to explore it.

Just seven kilometres long, the walk takes you through decades of Gold Rush history, following the original rail trail from lush bushland to the mining sites, and through the charming village of just 20 residents with its wooden cottages and old shopfronts adorned with turn-of-the-century advertising posters. Blazing a trail where trailblazers once opened up the region, this is also the starting point for the 650-kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track.

Nearby, Baw Baw National Park has walks through gnarled snow gums and alpine heaths that show off the colourful wildflowers in summer and the pristine carpet of white in winter. Several trails are perfect for snowshoes, including a 45-minute route from St Gwinear up to vast views across the Latrobe Valley.

Further up into the mountains, the Toorongo and Amphitheatre Falls Loop Walk is an easy 2.2-kilometre path that serenades you with the sound of flowing water as you pass mossy rocks and tree ferns en route to two sets of waterfalls cascading over boulders in the remote wilderness.

The best cultural hikes in Gippsland

the Mitchell River National Park, Gippsland — Hike the Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

Across a pool in a natural sandstone amphitheatre, deep within a cave behind a waterfall, it’s said the Nargun has its lair. A fierce creature, half human and half stone, that abducts children and can’t be harmed by boomerangs or spears, the story of the Nargun has been told around the campfires of the local Gunaikurnai people for generations.

As a culturally significant place for women, hikers are asked not to go into the Den of Nargun, but a 3.4-kilometre loop walk leads you through a rainforest gully to the entrance where you can feel the powerful atmosphere here in Mitchell River National Park , along Victoria’s largest remaining wild and free-flowing waterway.

the bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park — Bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

The Den of Nargun is part of the Bataluk Cultural Trail , a series of important traditional Gunaikurnai sites through central Gippsland. Another location is Victoria’s largest cave system, Buchan Caves Reserve, with trails to important archaeological sites of human artefacts up to 18,000 years old. The FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk includes the naturally sculpted white limestone steps of the 400-metre-long Federal Cave, while the Granite Pools Walk goes among tall timber and moss-covered gullies.

the ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park — The ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park. (Image: Josie Withers)

Also important to the Gunaikurnai people is Tarra-Bulga National Park , known for its ancient myrtle beeches and enormous mountain ash trees. Just 40 minutes return, the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk offers a taste of this verdant landscape, while the Grand Strzelecki Track takes you deep into the lost world of forest giants on an epic 100-kilometre trail rich with tradition.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the WildernessRetreats in The Prom — Wilderness Retreats in The Prom. (Image: Christian Pearson)

Wilderness Retreats in Wilsons Promontory offers glamping-style tents with luxurious queen beds. Star Hotel is a reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era hotel from 1863 in the heart of heritage Walhalla. Caves House is a historic three-bedroom house with views over the Buchan River.

Eating there

the Carrajung Estate, Gippsland — Enjoy a post-hike lunch at Carrajung Estate. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

Kilcunda General Store serves great coffee and meals of local produce at the George Bass Coastal Walk. Alpine Trout Farm is located near Toorongo Falls in Noojee. Fish for your own lunch and barbecue it with the provided cookware.

Carrajung Estate is a short drive from Tarra-Bulga National Park. The winery’s restaurant offers a seasonal menu of regional ingredients and you can stay at The Lodge.

a seafood feast at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland — The table is set for a seafood feast at the estate.